The present invention relates to an electrical connecting member, which electrically connect between two conductive members so that a large amount of an electrical current can flow through the conductive members. The present invention also relates to an electrical connector having such electrical connecting member(s).
Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional electrical connecting member to electrically connect between two conductive members to flow a large electrical current through the conductive members.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent No. 3,566,656
According to Patent Reference, the conventional electrical connecting member includes electrically contact pieces, which form two flat thick plate-like conductive members, or cylindrical plugs and a cylindrical socket. Between the two conductive members, a number of electrical connecting elements is arranged, which are made of a sheet metal thinner than that of the electrical contact pieces, and the electrical connecting elements serve as the conventional electrical connecting member.
The electrical connecting element includes a plurality of electrical connecting bridges arranged and supported on a support bridge. Each of the electrical connecting bridges is formed of an inverse-V-shaped strip, which is like a triangular frame having a shape of an isosceles triangle with a base side thereof largely removed. The support band is made of a thin sheet metal. The support band includes a center web and a plurality of band portions having an arm shape. The center web extends like a strip in an arrangement direction of the plurality of electrical connecting elements. The arm-like band portions are provided at a plurality of positions, which are provided at a constant pitch in the arrangement direction, and extend both sideways from the center webs like cantilevers.
Each of the electrical connecting bridges is supported such that each of both ends of the electrical connecting bridge are clamped with corresponding ends of the band portions. As a result, the electrical connecting bridges supported by the support bands such that the electrical connecting bridges rise diagonally towards one direction relative to a sheet surface of each of the support bands.
Therefore, the electrical connecting bridge has a vertex at a center bent part of the inverse-V-shaped, which forms a contact point with one electrical connecting piece. In addition, a contact point to contact with the other electrical connecting piece is formed on both ends of a lower part of each of the electrical connecting bridge. When the electrical connecting element is disposed between the two conductive members, a number of electrical connecting bridges are pressed by the two conductive members.
Especially, the center bent part, which is the vertex of the electrical connecting bridge, receives a force from one conductive member, so that the band portion of the support band, which is located on the other conductive member, elastically displaces to twist. As a result, the electrical connecting bridge itself displaces (rotate) so as to reduce the tilting angle thereof relative to the support band. As a result, the two conductive members are electrically connected with a contact pressure to the number of electrical connecting bridges, and form a number of contact points therewith. Therefore, it is achievable to flow a large amount of electrical current via the electrical connecting bridges between the two conductive members.
According to Patent Reference, the conventional inverse-V-shaped electrical connecting bridges are supported at their both ends with the support band, so as to be like a fixed-fixed-beam. On the other hand, the band portion of the support band, which supports the electrical connecting bridges, is like a cantilever relative to the center web, extending both sideways like branches from the center web. As a result, in a state of use, where the conventional electrical connecting bridges of the electrical connecting elements are pressed between the two contact pieces, there are problems of the center web's twisting, large heat generation, and troublesome production.
First, in a state of use, once the conventional electrical connecting bridges rotate in a direction of reducing the tilted angle to rise relative to the support bands, the clamp part at the band portion, which is a base portion of the electrical connecting bridge, causes twist on the band portion. From the center web, the band portion extends both sideways like a cantilever. Therefore, the center web receives twist from the both band portions. With this twist, the center web itself may possibly deform. The center web has a function of keeping its posture, while contacting by face with the electrical connecting piece and of keeping posture of the electrical connecting elements being held. However, with the twist of the center web, the center web cannot keep the posture.
Second, the conventional electrical connecting bridge of the electrical connecting element is formed as an inverse-V-shaped strip so as to be a fixed-fixed-beam. Therefore the sectional area of each of the electrical connecting bridges is small. Moreover, because of the shape and also in view of the relation with the clamp, the sheet thickness cannot be large so much. Therefore, even in this view, the sectional area is small. For these reasons, when large current flows in the electrical connecting bridge, it is hard to avoid large amount of heat generation.
Third, the conventional electrical connecting bridge is clamped at the both ends thereof onto the support band. Therefore, in the electrical connecting element having a number of electrical connecting bridges, the number of clamped positions increases, and the manufacturing process becomes more complicated and troublesome.
In view of the above problems, there is provided and invention, an object of which is to provide an electrical connecting member, which can keep stable posture of a plurality of electrical connecting members disposed between two conductive members, has small hear generation when large current flows therebetween, and can be easily produced. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrically connector having the electrical connecting member.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the present invention.